Apparatus for tipping-off sealed envelopes



. July 29, 1952 D. R. BOCAST APPARATUS FORTIPFING-OFF SEALED ENVELOPESFil ed May 5, 1951 lnven tor" DonaLd RBocasFt, v 5W 0%.

His A t torne mounting for the burners enables the flames sealing-offoperation; Fig. we view of the back Patented July 29, 1952 i I J UNITEDSTATES ATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR TIPPING-OFF SEALED ENVELOPES Donald R.Bocast, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to General Electric Company, acorporation of New York Application May 5, 1951, Serial No 224,731

6 Claims. (Cl. 49-2) l My invention relates to apparatus for fusing theexhaust tube during the initial moments of off and sealing the vitreoustubing by which the tipping-off operation, and then to be reaimedfilled. 5 All of the above-mentioned objects and fea- Suoh apparatus islocated adjacent a port of tures of my invention are attained by themanner the exhausting and gas filling apparatus which of operationprovided for by the mounting for the securely grips the free end of thevitreous tube burners and by the means of fixing the position extendingfrom the electrical device. The apof said burners with respect to theelectrical deparatus effects the tipping-01f of an intermediate 10 viceand the exhaust tube thereof. The burners portion of said vitreous tubeadjacent the elecare initially brought to proper arrangement with tricaldevice. In the usual combinations of apthe electrical device by movementof support paratus, the tipping-off apparatus is located at means, alsocommon to a bafiie of the tipping-01f a work station adjacent theperiphery of a turret, apparatus, and become properly located when and aseries of exhaust ports, each connected to 1 said baffle is seated uponthe end of the electrical an electrical device, are successivelyadvanced device. Continuous pressure against the ballie the turret.Operation of tipping-01f apparatus haust tube inasmuch as the endthereof is held in such a combination of apparatus is autosecurely bythe port of the exhausting apparatus matic and is usually synchronizedwith the moveand, very shortly, results in the baiile and the ments ofthe exhaust ports to and from the work electrical device being displacedand the heated station by being actuated by the main drivportion of saidexhaust tube being stretched. ing means for the turret and associatedexhaust- Although the motion of the bafiie is produced di- One object ofmy invention is to allow the results in a corresponding movement in themaintenance of high operating speeds in exburners, the full eitectthereof does not appear in hallst pparatus by providing t pp appac saidburners as they have an eccentric position must effect operation whentheexhaust tubing of said mounting The purpose of thi l tt a desiredrelatio o the electrical'device; be brought closer to said exhaust tubeso that A feature of y inventlon IS the provlslon of more concentratedportions of the flames from ipp ng-off apparatus W h burners rotatable111a the burners rapidly burn through said portion plane through theexhaust tubing and means for to sever the tube effecting partialrotation of said burners midstill other f tu e and advanta es 0 minwayin the tipping-01f operation to realm them 40 s g f y vention willappear from the following detailed disclosure of species thereof andfrom the drawj ing. control of the aim thereof throughout the tipd jping-off operation and permits the construction I g w g 1 atsldeelevatfon of F of apparatus suited to extended periods of opt o fiappara us my mventlon, eration without mechanical difficulty. soldapparatus bemg part w h u h a cycle Another feature of my invention isthe of sealing-oilthe exhaust tube of a lamp con Vision of tipping ofiapparatus wherein the nected to a port of an exhaust machine; Fig. 2burners are mounted eccentrically upon a rois a plan View Of s d tippng-rod apparatus; tatable mounting in such a manner that they are Fi s.3 and 4 are corresponding head-end views. brought closer to the exhausttubing when ro- 011 Slightly difielent Scales and W h p r ions tation ofsaid mounting and reaiming of said broken therefrom, of the tipping-0dapparatus burners along the exhaust tubing occurs. The at the start andcompletion, respectively, of the therefrom to be directed over aspecific area of end of the tipping-off apparatus; and Fig. 6 is aperspective view of a modified form of the tipping-off apparatus of myinvention.

The tipping-01f apparatus shown in Figs. 1 through of the drawing startsits cycle of operation from a position to one side of the work stationof an exhaust machine and is advanced end-foremost and horizontally intooperative relation to the exhaust tube I of a lamp 2 connected to theexhaust port 3 of said exhaust machine at said work station to initiatesaid cycle. This advancing movement of the tippingoff apparatus forcesthe edges of the V-notch 4a formed by biased end portions of the movablebafiies 4 and 5 against the exhaust tube I so that said baffles 4 and 5are wedged apart, and continues until the baflies 4 and 5 come togetherwith the notch or opening 5 around the exhaust tube. The burners 'I and8, also a part of the tippingoff apparatus, are respect to the exhausttube, as shown in the drawing.

The baffles 4 and 5 are pivoted in a scissorlike arrangement on thescrew 9 on the forward lip ID of the saddle II. The burners I and 8 aremounted on hollow shafts I2 and I3, respectively, extending through saidsaddle II. Said bafiies and burners are brought into position by motionof a supporting slide I4 for the saddle II. This movement of thetipping-off apparatus corresponds to a like movement in prior apparatusas, for instance, in that disclosed in Patent 2,247,513 to Marshausdated July 1, 1941. Since the movement must be synchronized with thearrival of the lamp 2 and exhaust port 3 at the work station occupied bythe ratus, it may most conveniently be effected by means associated withthe main actuating apparatus of the exhaust machine as in the priordisclosure.

In the present apparatus, the saddle II, which is mounted upon the slideI4, is moved by an operating arm I5 connected thereto by the linksIii-I6 and the pins II-I8 and is under the influence of the mainactuating means (not shown) The slide I4, in turn, is located withinways of a bracket I9 mounted upon the upper end of a vertical shaft 20projecting from the hollow stationary column 2I and maintains itsalignment with the work station since the bracket I9 and shaft 20 areprevented from turning by the guide rod 22, which extends downward fromthebracket I9 and into a close fitting opening in the fixed collar 23 onthe column 2I. During the initial horizontal movement of the tipping-offapparatus into operative relation to the lamp 2, the slide I4 and thebracket I9 are held at a higher elevation than shown in Fig. 1, so thatthere is no interference between the downwardly cupped portions 4b (Fig.3) of the baffles 4 and 5 about the opening 6 and the upper end of thelamp 2.

The next step in the operation of the tippingoff apparatus is a loweringmovement of the entire apparatus which is complete when the lowersurfaces of the baffles 4 and 5 bear against the upper end of the lamp 2as shown in Fig. 3. This movement, which is effected by a correspondingmovement of the vertical shaft 20 under influence of the main operatingmeans (not shown), arranges the bafiies 4 and 5 in position to pushagainst the lamp 2 so that the exhaust tube I is placed under tension,and arranges the burners 1 and 8 at the proper position with respect tosaid lamp 2 to heat a specific portion of said exhaust tube I. Duringthe lowering movement, the baiiles 4 and 5 and the saddle II tipping-offappathen properly arranged with normally take the full movement of theshaft 20 and slide I4. However, the lamp 2 may be so positioned in theexhaust port 3 that said baffles 4 and 5 will seat against said lamp 2before said movement has been completed. Under these conditions, thesaddle II pivots about the pin 24 by which it is attached to the slideI4 and the springs 25 and 25, extending between posts in the lip III onsaid saddle II and the slide I4, are stretched. Normally, the head ofthe stud 26 on the slide I4 forms a rest for positioning the lip ID andthe saddle II.

The burners I and 8, at the start of the sealingolf operation, aredirected against a portion of the exhaust tube I located as far withinthe hollow, or reentrant, end of the lamp 2 as is practical. As shown inFig. 3, the fires are directed against a portion of said exhaust tube Icontained within the cupped portions 4b of the baffies 4 and 5. The heatfrom the burners I and 8 is shielded from the lamp 2 to a considerableextent by the baffles 4 and 5 which are held tightly against each otherby the contraction force of a helical spring 21 joining their oppositeends on the opposite side of the pivot screw 9.

The heat from the flames soon brings a relatively short length of theglass exhaust tube I to the softening temperature, at which time thesoftened portion is stretched longitudinally by the pressure of thebafiies 4 and 5 which displaces the lamp 2 downward and away from theexhaust port 3 which tightly grips the upper end of the exhaust tube.The movement of the baffles 4 and 5 is initiated by the downwardmovement of the tipping-off apparatus under the constant downward pullof the vertical shaft 20. The stretch in the exhaust tube I and thepressure of the flames cause the walls of said exhaust tube I to draw inuntil the passage therethrough is closed and materially reduces thecross section of the heated portion. During this downward movement ofthe apparatus. the burners I and 8 take on still another motion whichcauses them to be reaimed in an upward direction so that the flames aredirected against the approximate center portion of the now elongatedplastic portion of the exhaust tube I and sever the tube I where it hasbeen contracted. The burners I and 8 are also brought closer to theexhaust tube I at the same time they are reaimed so as to cause moreconcentrated portions of the flames to engage said tube I and,accordingly, increase the burn-off effect thereof.

The burners 'I and 8 are eccentrically mounted upon connectors 28, 28attached to hollow shafts I2 and I3 respectively, and take the reaimingand repositioning movements occurring at this time from rotativemovements of said hollow shafts I2 and I3 within the saddle I I. Theburners are normally below the axes of rotation A and B (Fig. 3) ofshafts I2 and I3 respectively. Both burners I and 8 also receive thecombustible gas mixture through this supporting means which conducts thecombustible gas through communicating passages in said connectors 28,28, said hollow shafts I2 and I3 and flexible hoses 29, 29 from a source(not shown).

Throughout the cycle of operation the aim and position of the burners 'Iand 8 are determined by the rotative effect produced in the supportingmeans, both by the contraction force of a helical spring 30 extendingbetween posts on the fingers 3| and 32 on respective ends of the hollowshafts I2 and I3, and by the meshing of teeth 33 and 34 on said fingers3| and 32, respectively, with each other. The effect of the-contractionforce ofthe spring 30 issuch that thefingers 3i :and 32 are initiallyturned so that shaft I2, into engagement with a stop in the form of theroller 37 from the collar 23, and causes said lever 36 to turn saidhollow shaft I2. This rotation of hollow shaft I2 also effects acorresponding and opposite rotation of hollow shaft I3 since the teeth33 and 34 on the fingers BI and 32, respectively, remain in contact witheach other and'transfer motion therebetween.

The manner at the time the ll'lOSpheIiC pressure, pressure of the fires,and the stretching operation, effected by themovement of the tipping-offapparatus. The manner of bringing the flames from the burners 1 and 8nearer the exhaust tube I, on the other hand, assits in effecting therapid fusing-off of the sealed portion of the exhaust tube I, which isnow of thinner section, and also assists in fusing down the sealed endof the exhaust tube I connected to the lamp 2 into a strong andsatisfactory tip. The particular burners I and 8 in the disclosedapparatus are also characterized by the different size flames theydirect against respective sides of the exhaust tube I in order todevelop a so-called sucker-in type of tip on said exhaust tube I whichis disclosed in application Serial No. 124,187, filed October 28, 1949,by C. E. Bechard and which issued as Patent No. 2,561,838, July 24,1951, and is assigned to the assignee of the present application. Theburners I and 8 may also be aimed slightly ofiset from each other asalso disclosed in said application.

The apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to inclusive also includes a pair offixed arms 39 and 40 attached to the saddle II and extending over intoengagement with the top surface of the forewardly extending ends of theballies 4 and 5. The function of these arms 39 and 40 is to prevent thedisplacement of the bafiies 4 and 5 when the tipping-01f apparatus movesdown to stretch the exhaust tube I. a

The resistance offered to the downward movement of the tipping-01fapparatus by the ex haust tube I is in almost all instances not so greatas to tilt the saddle II on the slide I4. However, the saddle I I isfree to tilt about the pin 24 against the resistance of the springs 25,25 and, should the lamp 2 oifer such resistance, said saddle II can tiltto the limit allowed by the seating of the head of the bolt 4| (Fig. 4)in lip II] of said saddle II against the bottom of the opening in theslide I l.

The modified tipping-off apparatus shown in Fig. 6 corresponds to thatpreviously described in that duplicate baflles 4 and 5' are provided ona forward extending lip of a saddle I I for engaging and effectingmotion in the lamp, and opposed burners I and 8' are provided on saidsaddle II at proper operative relation to the opening 6' in said bafiies4' and 5 to fuse and work the exhaust tube of said lamp. The saddle I I'may be mounted in. place of saddle I I on the slide I4 of the apparatusappearing in Figs. 1-5. The cycle of operation of this'appa'ratus isinitiated while the burners TI and 8 .are directed into the depressionin the bafiles 4 and 5 around the opening fisince at the time thecontraction force of a spring 39 on posts extending from the hubs of thegears 42 and 43 on the supporting shafts I2 and I3 for said Jburners land 8 keeps said shafts I2 and I3 turned to their limit of movement.This position of the burners l and 8' is determined by the engagement ofa stop pin 44 on gear 13 with the bar 45 on the saddle I I.

scribed apparatus; however, the reaiming and repositioning of theburners I and 8 is effected when said apparatus is lowered to such anextent that the curved arm It on the collar 47 ofshaft I2 bears againstthe fixed bar 48. The turning modified apparatus of Fig. 6 are numberedthe same as corresponding parts of the modification of Figs. 1-5, withthe addi tion of a prime.

Although preferred embodiments of my inverttion have been disclosed, itwill be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificconstruction and arrangement but that they maybe widely modified withinthe spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. In combination with apparatus comprising for holding the exhaust tubeof exhaust port.

2. In combination exhaust tube in a direction back toward said exhaustport.

3.1m apparatus for tipping-off the exhaust tube of an electrical device,the combination of an exhaust port for holding the exhaust tube, burnersfor directing heating fires against a portion of'the exhaust tube, meansmovable away from the exhaust port and against the electrical device toeffect displacement of said electrical device and stretching of theheated portion of the exhaust tube, parallel shafts mounting each of theburners on the first-mentioned means for rotation about axes normal tothe direction of motion of said first-mentioned means, and meansactuated by movement of the first-mentioned means for rotating theshafts counter to each other to cause the burners to be reaimed alongthe length of the exhaust tube.

4. Apparatus for tipping-off an exhaust tube extending upwardly from anelectrical device and held in an exhaust port, comprising support means,a slide mounted on said support means for horizontal movement toward anexhaust tube, a pair of burners projecting forwardly from said slide andmounted therein for rotation about parallel, horizontal axes and aimedto direct flame jets generally toward each other, baffle means mountedon said slide and extending horizontally therefrom below said burners,means for moving said slide to carry said burners and bafiie meansforward into operative relation to said exhaust tube, means for movingsaid support means downward to cause the baffles to take a protectiverelation to the electrical device and to effect displacement of saidelectrical device and stretching of the heated portion of the exhausttube, and means for rotating the burners during the downward movement ofthe said support means to reaim the burners.

5. Tipping-off mechanism for exhaust tubes extending upwardly from lampsand comprising support means, a pair of burners projecting forwardlyfrom said support means and mounted thereon for rotation about parallel,horizontal axes with'said burners in opposed relationship and normallyaimed to direct flame jets toward each other at acute angles below thehorizontal, bafiie means projecting forwardly from said support meansbelow said burners for engagement with the upper end of a lamp, meansmounting said supportmeans for downward movement, and means operableduring said downward movement to rotate said burners to redirect theflames therefrom upwardly toward the horizontal.

6. Tipping-off mechanism for exhaust tubes extending upwardly from lampsand comprising support means, a pair of burners projecting forwardlyfrom said support means and mounted thereon for rotation about parallel,horizontal axes with said burners in opposed relationship and normallyaimed to direct flame jets toward each other at acute angles below thehorizontal, said burners being mounted eccentrically with respect totheir respective axes of rotation and below said axes, bafiie meansprojecting forward- 1y from said support means below said burners forengagement with the upper end of a lamp, means mounting said supportmeans for downward movement, and means operable during said downwardmovement to rotate said burners to redirect the flames therefromupwardly toward the horizontal and closer together due to the cocentricmounting thereof as aforesaid.

DONALD R. BOCAST.

No references cited.

